Chapter 7 - The Doctor Who Knew Too Much|
Dr. Martin Shaw had treated the Moretti family for nearly twenty years.
He had examined Gabriel's father, advised Lucia on private medical matters, and attended family gatherings where no one asked him to explain why he was there.
His name appeared in old invoices, hospital correspondence, and a handful of documents Gabriel had never thought to read.
Now his office was closed, his phone disconnected, and his home listed for sale.
Marco found a forwarding address through a property record.
A small apartment in Evanston.
Gabriel went there himself.
He arrived shortly after noon, wearing a dark coat and carrying no visible weapon. Two men waited in a vehicle across the street, instructed to remain out of sight unless he called.
The apartment building smelled of dust and old cooking oil. Gabriel climbed three flights of stairs and knocked on the door.
No answer.
He knocked again.
A man's voice came from inside.
“Go away.”
“Dr. Shaw. My name is Gabriel Moretti.”
Silence.
Then the lock turned.
The doctor was in his late sixties, with thinning white hair and a face marked by years of poor sleep. He looked at Gabriel for several seconds before stepping aside.
“I wondered when you'd come.”
Gabriel entered.
The apartment was nearly empty. A suitcase sat beside the sofa, and cardboard boxes were stacked against the wall.
“You're leaving,” Gabriel said.
“I should have left months ago.”
“Why were you reviewing Anna's medical information?”
Shaw's face tightened.
“Who told you that?”
“My father's records.”
The doctor sat down slowly.
“Your father was a frightened man.”
“I didn't ask about my father.”
“No. You asked about your wife.”
Gabriel remained standing.
“Then answer.”
Shaw rubbed his hands together.
“Years ago, your father became concerned about the number of medical inquiries being made about members of the family. He believed someone was collecting information that could be used against them.”
“Who?”
“He never proved it.”
“Did you review Anna's records?”
“I reviewed a document associated with her name before she married you.”
“What document?”
“A family health questionnaire. Nothing diagnostic.”
“Why was it requested?”
“Your father wanted to know whether there was a history of inherited disease in her family. He had begun investigating his own condition and was worried about the possibility of passing a disorder to future children.”
Gabriel felt the floor shift beneath him.
“My father thought Anna might inherit his illness?”
“No. He wanted to know whether any medical risks might affect a future family. He was not a specialist, and he was frightened. He asked questions he had no right to ask.”
“Did Anna know?”
“Not at the time.”
Gabriel stared at him.
“Why did you accept the request?”
Shaw looked ashamed.
“Because I had treated your father for years. I convinced myself that keeping the family informed was the same as helping them.”
“And now?”
“Now I know how easily that reasoning becomes an excuse.”
Gabriel took the second sheet from his coat.
“What does this payment mean?”
Shaw examined it.
“I was paid to review a confidential medical file. The payment was authorized through a private trust, but I did not know who was receiving the information.”
“Whose file?”
He hesitated.
“Anna's.”
Gabriel felt a surge of anger.
“Why?”
“Because someone wanted to know whether she had a medical condition that could affect her future.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Did you diagnose her?”
“No. At that time, there was no evidence of cancer. The file contained routine medical information and a family history. I did not see anything that suggested what is happening now.”
Gabriel took a breath.
“Did you share the information with my father?”
“No. I refused to give him the details. I told him that if Anna needed medical care, she should be allowed to seek it without the family treating her body as a business matter.”
For the first time, Gabriel's anger faltered.
“Then why was the payment made?”
“Because the person who requested the review wanted proof that I had completed it. I sent a confirmation, not the records.”
“Who was the person?”
Shaw looked toward the window.
“I believe it was Anthony Vale.”
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
“Why would Anthony care about Anna's medical history before she married me?”
“I don't know. But he was working for someone who believed that information was a form of power.”
Shaw rose and walked to a box.
He removed a small notebook and handed it to Gabriel.
“These are the dates of the requests I received. I kept them because I became concerned that someone was using my name to obtain information without proper authorization.”
Gabriel opened the notebook.
Several entries matched the dates on the financial statements. Others were connected to a private company that had paid for Anna's consultations.
Then he saw a name he had not expected.
PETER LANG.
Lucia's financial adviser.
Gabriel looked up.
“Did Peter request Anna's records?”
Shaw nodded.
“Once. He said your mother wanted to confirm that Anna had access to appropriate care.”
“Was that true?”
“I never spoke directly with your mother about it.”
Gabriel closed the notebook.
The pattern was becoming clearer, but the motive remained hidden.
Someone had been collecting information about Anna for years. Someone had used private accounts to pay doctors and employees. Someone had now accessed her treatment schedule and was moving money through a medical transport company.
He left the apartment with the notebook in his pocket.
On the drive back to the estate, Marco called.
“We found Anthony.”
“Where?”
“Not far from the lake. He's alive.”
“Bring him in.”
Marco hesitated.
“He asked to speak to Mrs. Moretti.”
Gabriel's grip tightened around the phone.
“Absolutely not.”
“He says he has information about her diagnosis.”
Gabriel stared through the windshield.
“Then he can tell it to me.”
May you like
Marco lowered his voice.
“Boss, he says your wife wasn't the first person in the family to receive that diagnosis.”
